Everything you need to know about Madam Sew's Patchwork Templates

The patchwork template sets are shipped with removable paper on one or both sides to protect them during shipping.

To remove the paper:

Tease the paper up at an edge with your fingernail, scissors or a pair of tweezers

If using scissors or tweezers, be careful not to cut into the templates so as not to scratch them

This part may take a little bit of effort, so don’t panic

Peel the paper back and off the template

Fussy cutting means to cut a piece of fabric so as to target a part of the design (flower, bird, seashell, etc.) vs. cutting fabric into random pieces.

To make a fussy cut:

Center (or align as you want) your target design within your template

Each template has a ¼” seam allowance marked by triangular slots…you’ll want your design to fit so it doesn’t fall past these otherwise a part of it will end up in your seam

If you are using the larger templates, they come with a marked center point that can also be used to help you center your design

Once centered to your liking, cut around the template using your rotary cutter

Note: Using a rotating cutting mat helps to make the cutting even faster

The fussy cuts technique using the templates is the same regardless of which template you are using…here is a quick YouTube Video of Fussy Cutting with a Hexagon Patchwork Template.

To make a project using fussy cuts, check out the blog:  Through the Window Wall Hanging Using the Fussy Cut.

Each template has triangular seam slots. They show where your seam allowance starts and stops and where that ¼” falls.

To use these slots:

Mark inside the outer edges of the seam slot with a heat erasable marking pen before you move your template off of the fabric

Use the markings you made to align your pieces for sewing

Example using a square template:

Mark your ¼” seam allowances

Sew the pieces together into rows by sewing the seams that register as shaded in the below diagram

Next, sew the rows together using the markings to help you line up your seam allowances and meeting points of the squares as shown in the diagrams below.

You will get a finished 9-Patch block!

To quickly cut out squares in the sizes you need for your project, choose the square size based on the finished size block you are making. There are two different sets of square templates to choose from in the MadamSew Store. 

Each of the template squares in these sets have double blunt corners to allow for accurate alignment.

Templates in the small, colorful, 5PCS Patchwork Square Template Set Include:

2" square template for 1 1/2" finished block

2 1/2" square template for 2" finished block

3" square template for 2 1/2" finished block

3 1/2" square template for 3" finished block

4" square template for 3 1/2" finished block

Templates in the big 3PCS Patchwork Square Template Set Include:

4 1/2" square template for 4" finished block

5 1/2" square template for 5" finished block

6 1/2" square template for 6" finished block

These templates are specially frosted to provide clarity on light & dark fabrics.

Once you have chosen your square template, you can cut your squares in one of two ways:

You can first cut a strip of fabric in the same width of your square

For example, if you are using the 2 ½” square, you would cut a 2 ½” strip of fabric (remember to cut your selvages off first)

Once your fabric strip is cut, line the square up at one end and cut across the other end

Continue in this manner until you are at the end of the strip

You can cut squares out of your fabric by simply cutting around the template (this is a great if you are using scraps)

If you want to…you can also make fussy cuts

To do so, follow the directions outlined in "Using Templates Sets to Make Fussy Cuts" (found earlier in this manual)

To quickly cut out equilateral triangles in the sizes you need for your project, choose the triangle template based on the finished size block you are making.

Each of the triangle templates in these sets have double blunt corners to allow for accurate alignment.

There are two different sets of triangle templates to choose from in the MadamSew Store.

Templates in the small, colorful, 5PCS Patchwork Triangle Template Set Include:

2" template for a 1 1/2" finished triangle

2 1/2" template for a 2" finished triangle

3" template for a 2 1/2" finished triangle

3 1/2" template for a 3" finished triangle

4" template for a 3 1/2" finished triangle

Templates in the big 3PCS Patchwork Triangle Template Set Include:

4 1/2" template for 4" finished triangles

5 1/2" template for 5" finished triangles

6 1/2" template for 6" finished triangles

These templates are specially frosted to provide clarity on light & dark fabrics.

Once you have chosen your triangle template, you can cut your triangles in one of two ways:

You can first cut a strip of fabric in a width that is about ¼” more than the height of the triangle

For example, if you are using the 2 ½” triangle (it happens to be 2 ¼” high), you would cut a 2 ½” strip of fabric (remember to cut your selvages off first)

Once your fabric is cut, line the base of your triangle template with one long edge of your strip near one of the ends and cut along the two sides of your triangle to make your triangle piece

Note: the top of your triangle won’t be touching the other edge…that’s okay because as you cut, that will become your tip (see pictures)

Next, flip your template and align the bottom of your triangle template with the opposite side of the strip and one of the cut edges of your previous cut, then cut along the other side of the triangle to make your piece

This is where the double blunt corners can also be used with alignment

Continue in this manner until you are at the end of the strip

You can cut squares out of your fabric by simply cutting around the template (this is a great if you are using scraps)

If you want to…you can also make fussy cuts

To do so, follow the directions outlined in "Using Templates Sets to Make Fussy Cuts" (found earlier in this manual)

To quickly cut out hexagons in the sizes you need for your project, choose the hexagon template based on the finished size block you are making.

There are two different sets of hexagon templates to choose from in the MadamSew Store.

Templates in the small, colorful, 5PCS Patchwork Hexagon Template Set Include:

White: 2" template for a 1 ½" finished hexagon

Green: 2 ½" template for a 2" finished hexagon

Yellow: 3" template for a 2 ½" finished hexagon

Pink: 3 ½" template for a 3" finished hexagon

Blue: 4" template for a 3 ½" finished hexagon

Templates in the big 3PCS Patchwork Hexagon Template Set Include:

4 ½  inch template for 4 inch finished hexagons

5 ½  inch template for 5 inch finished hexagons

6 ½  inch template for 6 inch finished hexagons

These templates are specially frosted to provide clarity on light & dark fabrics.

Once you have chosen your hexagon template, you can cut your hexagons in one of two ways:

You can first cut a strip of fabric so that two straight edges of the hexagon can be lined up on the long sides. With the hexagons, you’ll need to measure flat side-to-flat side for each one you are using

For example, if you are using the 2 ½” hexagon, you would cut a 2 ¼” strip of fabric because flat side-to-flat side of the hexagon measures 2 ¼” (remember to cut your selvages off first)

Once your fabric is cut, line two of the sides of your hexagon template with the long edges of your fabric strip and cut around the other edges of your hexagon piece

Continue in this manner until you are at the end of the strip

You can cut hexagons out of your fabric by simply cutting around the template (this is a great if you are using scraps)

If you want to…you can also make fussy cuts

To do so, follow the directions outlined in Using Templates to Make Fussy Cuts (found earlier in this manual)